Motor-vehicle.



. ML $41K:

L. S. CLARKE. MOTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11, 1909.

980,603. Patented Jan. 3,1911.

2 SHEETS--BHEET 1.

FIG. 1

WITNESSES.

INVENTOR- .L. s. CLARKE.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

23 q i I; mm

A li f. /7

78m}; FIG..3 wrrm-zssss.

INVENTOR.

UNITED STATES. PATENT ornion.

LOTTIS S. CLARKE, 0F HAVERFORD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOCAR COMPANY, OF ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA, A GORPOR-ATION or. PENNSYLVANIA.

MOT OB VEHICLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 11, 1 909 -Serial No. 71,701.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS. S. CLARKE, a

resident of .Haverford, in the county of Montgomery and. State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvethe power plant in such position that a maximum'body platform on a minimum length of wheel base is obtained, While at the same time ready accessibility may be had to inspection and repair. e r v To these ends my invention comprises, generally stated," the'novel features hereinafter set forth-and claimed. 1 p 4 In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side elevation of my improved motor vehicle; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional viewof a portion of the vehicle showing the seat construction and the location of the" engine; Fig.3 is a cross section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2. v

In the drawings the numeral 2 designates the chassis which may be composed of cold pressed steel of channel section properly reinforced and braced to give thejrequisite strength and rigidity. However, any suitable construction' of chassis may be employed.

The numeral 3 designates the springs and 4 the wheels but I have not deemed'rt necessary to illustrate the transmission mechanism and other parts, as they form no part.

of my present invention.

Mounted at the forward [end of the chassis and secured thereto in any suitable manner is the seat-frame 5. The sills of the seat-. frame 5 are each formed of two sections, 5

and 5", connected bythe door-frame 6 which may be composed of a suitable casting connected to said sections by the'bolts 7. The casting 6 is provided with the arched portion 8 which forms the opening in the frame which gives access to the valves oft-he engine 9, as hereinafter set forth. The doorframe 6 will only be necessary whe'rea mos tor of the horizontal type is employed.

The seat 10 may be formed of two hinged.

sections 11 and 12, the section 11 being hinged at 13 to the box-like frame 14; carried by the-rear end of the frame 5, and the section 12 is hinged, as at 15, to the section 1.1." The section 11 comprises thesides and front of the seat.

permit of the prbper circulation of air.

The gasolene tank 17 is contained within the box-like frame 14 but said tank, however, is supported independently of said frame 14, being supported-directly on the chassis by means of .the brackets or supports 18;

The engine is illustrated in diagrammatic form to indicate, simply its location, asany.

suitable form of engine may beemployed, and the plugs 19 are indicated as showing the opening leading to the valves. By the removal ofthese plugs 19 the valves are exposed. and made'accessible' These plugs 19 are exposed by the removal of the door 20.

At the forwardendv-of the frame 5 is the -ordinary dashboard 21, and the floor 22 is "removable, said floor. being formed in sec-' 'tions 'supportedupon the frame 5.

The sides of the seat 10 are provided with the ventilator 16'to' Patented Jan. 3, 1911,"

The body 23 of the vehicle may be of any desired" form, that, illustrated comprising simply an ordinary wagon bed'forconvertience of illustration. It is apparent that the;

various forms, dewhich thevehicle vehicle body may be of pendent upon .the use to is applied. The body issecured to the chassis close up to the frame 14, the'point of connection between the body and said frame being finished by suitable molding. The body-of the vehicle, however, isindepend: ently supported of the seat structure and is in no way connected therewith, other than that they both are attached to the chassis frame. v V

By having the engine located beneath the seat I obtain a max mum body platform'o'n a minimum length of wheel base and so provide a'simple, compact construction which makes a: very practical vehicle for commercial purposes where economy of space is an important factor... The engine is made read ily tion, into the position indicated in dotted lines,

Fig. 2, giving free accessto the engine.

By having the seat-frame supported on the chassis in the manner illustrated and described I am enabled to make a standard chassis which is adapted for use with any accessible by the hinged seat construcfor the seat may be quickly'swung back the engine it is only necessary to remove the ,door 20 whereupon the plugs 19 may be'1'emoved without dil'liculty and the valves ex- What I claim is:

1.- In a motor vehicle, the combination of the chassis, a seat-frame mounted on said chassis,- a removably mounted seat on said seat frame, and an engine beneath said seat,

said seat frame having an opening affording access to the valves of said engine.

2. Ina motor vehicle, the combination of the chassis, a seat-frame mounted on said chassis, a removably mounted seat on said seat frame, and an engine beneath said seat,

This greatly simplifies said seat structure having an opening'at the side thereof affording access to the valves of said engine.

8. In a motor vehicle, the combination of the chassis, a seat-frame mounted on said chassis, a removably mounted seat on said seat frame, a door-frame connecting the front and rear portions of said seat rame and forming an opening therein, and an engine beneath said seat.

4. In a motor vehicle, the combination of the chassis, a two-part seat-frame mounted there0n-,' a removably mounted seat on said seat frame, a casting connecting the parts of said frame and forming an opening therein, andan engine beneath said seat.

In testimony whereof, I the said LoUIs S. CLARKE have hereunto set In hand.

LOUIS CLARKE.

Witnesses:

M. I-I. MCMONIGLE, W. J. SCo'r'r. 

